Key case



J. J. MAJESKI June 2, 1953 KEY CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1951 ea as Joseph J. Majes/ri INVENTOR.

1 BY M J. J. MAJESKI June 2 1953 KEY CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30 1951 will Joseph J. Majeskl' INVENTOR.

BY "F" Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY CASE Joseph J. Majeski, Porter, Ind.

Application April 30, 1951, Serial No. 223,707

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a combined flashlight and key container, the open-ended hollow body having a cap providing access to the key attaching means while functioning as means to retain components of the flashlight in proper operative position.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a combination flashlight and key container wherein certain elements cooperate in a novel manner and wherein all the elements cooperate to provide an extremely useful device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination article wherein the key accommodating elements are such that keys of different sizes and shapes may be used with the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel latch means for the cover closing the open end of the hollow body of the device.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a highly utilitarian and novel combination dry cell holder and switch which is especially well adapted for devices of this general character.

General objects of the invention include, the provision of means whereby the keys may be conveniently exposed, one at a time, to provide means whereby a considerable number of keys can be conveniently carried in an attractive container of no great bulk, and to provide means whereby a light can be made to shine on the key hole at the instant when the key is being inserted.

A last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a device of this character which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which is simple, safe and convenient to use, and will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of the assembled device;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially on the line 2-2 in Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical cross sectional views taken on thelines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view, in perspective, of the crosshead slide; and

Figure 7 is a view, in perspective, of the combination dry cell holder and switch.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, this invention includes an elongated hollow body It, having an open end H which is closed by'a cap M. This cap has a flange it which slides within the said open end 12, to abut a shoulder l8 formed in the body [0 adjacent to said open end. Small plungers or latch bolts 29 are axially slidably mounted in opposed bores 22 provided in opposite side portions of the flange l6, and

recesses 24 are provided in correspondingly positioned parts of the end [2 of the body, so that when said latch bolts 2!] are moved outwardly, the cap I4 is held in place. An elongated spring connector 26 has its central portion wound at least once around a cylindrical member 28 mounted for rotative oscillation in a central portion of the cap l4. The outer end of the member 28 is formed with a head 30 having a screwdriver slot therein so that the member 28 can be oscillated to pull the spring connectors 26 and the latch bolts 20 so as to release the cap l4, the resiliency of the spring connectors 26 being depended upon to urge the said latch bolts 28 outwardly into locking position, as indicated in Figure 3. The spring connector 26 is terminally secured to the latch bolts 28 in any suitable manner, as indicated in Figure 4, the particular mode of attachment illustrated comprising the insertion of end portions of the spring connector through transverse bores in the latch bolts 20 and the bending of the extreme ends of th spring connectors as illustrated.

The end of the body l0 remote from the cap [4 is provided with a plurality of transverse parallel slots 32 to admit a plurality of keys A plurality of crosshead slides, generally indicated at 36, in Figure 6, are provided and each slide 36 is provided-with an element including a hook 38 to engage a key and a shank 4E! extending through a reduced waist portion 42 of the corresponding slide 36. It should be carefully noted that the shank 40, although threaded, is of non-circular shape and the bore provided therefor in the waist portion 42 is of similar noncircular shape, so that relative rotation between these elements is prevented. The enlarged upper and lower portions of the slides 44 and 46 respectively carry the shoes 48 and 50 which slide in channels 55 and 58, respectively, provided in opposed relation in side walls of the body It, it being noted that a slot 52 is formed in that side of the slide 36 adjacent to the transverse slots 32, this slot 52 being adapted to receive the corresponding end of a key 34, and it should be further noted that a nut 54 is threaded on the shank 40 so that the hook 38 can be withdrawn in order to hold the key 3 with a portion-thereof within theslot 52. Finally, in this connection, the channels 56 should be considered portions of longitudinal slots 82 extending through the corresponding side wall of the body it to accommodate the button 68 provided on each slide'36, the button 60 allowing the slide, with the key 34 mounted thereon to be pushed, as indicated at 64 in Figure 1, in one direction so that the corresponding key 34 is exposed at the end of the body l6.

A hollow enlargement or chamber 66 is formed integral with that side wall of the body it! remote from the side wall having the slots 62 therein, and a small aperture 68 is formed-in the end wall of this chamber 66. The chamber 66 accommodates a flashlight, including a small electric lamp 70 inserted in a stepped recess 12 communicating with the aperture 66, the larger portion of this stepped recess accommodating the screw base 14 of a conventional flashlight lamp 10. A dry cell 16 is urged by a spiral spring l into engagement with the center contact ll of the lamp l0, and it will be noted that the cap [4 has a seat I8 formed therein for the spring 15, this spring being compressedbetween that portion of the cap 14 comprising the seat 78 and the end of the dry cell remote from the lamp 10.

In this construction it is important that the dry cell 16 be reasonably rigidly held, and this is accomplished by a portion or the combination dry cell holder and switch indicated generally by the numeral [9 and best illustrated in Figure -7. A sleeve 86 fits snugly upon an intermediate portion of the dry cell 16. The sleeve is secured to an intermediate portion or a plate 82 which is elongated and which extends along the chamber 66, and an ofiset portion 84 of the plate 82 engages another portion of the dry cell 78. It will be understood that the dry cell has a center terminal 85 contacting the center terminal '16 of the lamp. Furthermore, the body ill will ordinarily be constructed of non-conductive material and the sleeve 86 is in conductive engagement with the zinc casing of the flashlight dry cell 16. A switch button 86 is rigidly secured by any suitable means to a portion of the plate 82 extending toward the lamp 16, and this switch button extends through an aperture 81 in the chamber 66, so that upon pressure of the thumb or finger applied to the switch button 86 the spring contact '88 is engaged with the screw base 14 of the lamp 10, completing the electrical to without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having described the invention,- what is claimed new is:

1. An elongated hollow body having a closed end with parallel transverse slots therein and an open end opposite to the closed end, a cap comprising a closure for the open end, said body having a first side wall with parallel longitudinal slots therein, the transverse and longitudinal slots being equal in number and arranged so that the axis of each transverse slot is coplanar with the axis of a longitudinal s10t,said body including a second side wall opposite said first side wall and having channels parallel to said longitudinal slots, opposing channels comprising enlarged inner portions of said longitudinal slots, crosshead slides operatively mounted in said channels, said slides having reduced waist portions, said waist portions having bores of noncircular cross sectional shape extending therethrough parallel to said longitudinal slots, shanks of corresponding non-circular cross sectional shape non-rotatively extending through said bores, key engaging hooks on the ends of said "shanks adjacent said transverse slots, the outer ends of said shanks being threaded, nuts on the threaded ends, buttons on said slides and extending through said longitudinal slots to facilitate manual operation of the slides.

2. Anelongated hollow body having a closed end with parallel transverse slots therein and an open end opposite to the closed end, a cap comprising a closure for the open end, said body having a first side wall with parallel longitudinal slots therein, the transverse and longitudinal slots-being equal in number and arranged so that the axis of each transverse slot is coplanar with the axis of a longitudinal slot, said body including a second side wall opposite said first side wall and having-channels parallel to said longitudinal slots opposing channels comprising enlarged inner portions of said longitudinal slots, crosshead slides operatively mounted in said channels, said slides having reduced waist portions, said waist portions having bores of noncircular cross sectional shape extending therethrough parallel to-said longitudinal slots, shanks of corresponding non-circular cross sectional shape non-rotatively extending through said bores, key engaging hooks on the ends of said shanks adjacent-said transverse slots, the outer ends of said shanks being threaded, nuts on the threaded ends,'buttons on said slides andextending through said longitudinal slots to facilitate manual operation of the slides, said cap including locking means-therein detachably securing said cap to said hollowbody, said locking means comprising a shaft-rotatably mounted in said cap, longitudinal slots and channels opening into said cap, said cap constituting stop for said slides.

JOSEPH J. MAJESKI.

References Cited'in'the file of 'thispatent UNITED STATES-PATENTS Number Name Date 1,494,242 "Hill May 13, 1924 1,972,880 Flintermann Sept.11, 1934 2,344,581 Ziegeweid 'Mar. 21, 1944 2;481,295 'Corigliano Sept. 6, 1949 2,575,424 Mitchell 'Nov."20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 510,358 GreatBritain July'27, 1939 --530,249 -Great"Britain De'c. 9, 1940 

